I'm raising money for rent so I can get my family beyond the pandemic.

Why I'm using HandUp for rent.

My family is using HandUp right now after surviving domestic violence and starting our new lives. My oldest daughter and I were both laid off from our positions at work because of the pandemic, and i'm somewhat anxious moving forward as things open up again. My daughter and I both have underlying health conditions which we will need to factor into our decision making as the state opens and we are recalled, we want to do our best to keep ourselves safe and stay financially stable as this situation continues to unfold.

About me.

I’m from Ferndale originally, and I spent the last while in Madison heights where I raised my two beautiful daughters. For years I worked in the medical setting and food service on the side to make ends meet and provide for my family. My family has a number of medical needs that we are keeping up with, and we’re more conscious of this than ever during this global pandemic in which we must be careful and prepared.

My backstory.

The story behind my current challenges starts some years ago when my husband started to become reckless with his drinking and became very abusive. This took a tremendous toll on the whole family, we survived physical and emotional abuse in too many ways to express fully. Because of a number of reckless decisions with money, our home was foreclosed on and we had to move on to figure out how to survive. In previous attempts to separate my family from this toxic situation and find help I was met with roadblocks, but eventually with the tremendous help of my two daughters I gained the strength to successfully start our new life and entered into a survivor’s shelter program. We are still fighting to separate from this abuse as he has consistently violated court and contact orders, but we are now in our own home and working to grow our stability and happiness.

My goals, moving forward.

My biggest goal right now is to provide a safe, happy home for my daughters. All I’ve ever wanted is that stability and to have the air cleared of the experiences of our past and present. This happiness includes a lot of things like financial wellness, but really in the end we really just want to be happy. I want to stabilize my finances and support my daughters in their educational aspirations. My youngest is so artistic and we want to look into graphic design or other similar programs. My oldest has shown resourcefulness and has supported the whole house throughout the new chapter of our lives.

Other things I'd like to share about myself.

What makes my daughters and I happiest is those moments we’re able to be in nature. I used to keep my yard perfect and loved to be in nature and watch wildlife. I’m so proud of both of my daughters and how resilient they are and how we’ve been able to stick together. I’m proud of my family and the way that we’ve been able to care for each other and help when they’re in need.